Well, Christmas day has passed and the snow is almost melted. I have taken down the few decorations I put up this year and they are packed in the basement for another year. I went to church this morning for the service of Lessons and Carols. We Episcopalians don't begin to celebrate until Christmas Eve and then celebrate until the end of epiphany so the season hasn't really ended for us. I am looking forward to spending some time with my son and his family sometime in January to exchange gifts and of course enjoy their company.

I am also looking forward to a better year in '10 for my health. '09 began pretty badly in February with my back problems and went downhill from there with falling down the stairs at Andy's in July, fracturing a vertebrae, two herniated disks, a-fib and time in the hospital in Ft. Lauderdale, becoming resistant to my chemo, sinus problems, food poisoning and a lovely virus that zapped all my strength. And even with all those problems I realize that so many have so many more problems than I.

So.......onward and upward to a new year hoping that health issues of '09 are gone, looking forward to watching my granddaughter grow, walk, talk and so many more exciting things to come. I hope that the excitement and fun of Christmas carries on for everyone throughout the next year and years to come.

Olivia Grace - baptism/Halloween

What a wonderful weekend we all had in Charleston. Olivia Grace was baptized at Grace Episcopal Church on her father's 29th birthday.

I sure do love my daddy.

And my first Halloween was pretty cool, too!

Olivia's visit to Lenoir (with her mommy and daddy)

We had a wonderful visit

with Olivia and her mommy and daddy this weekend. She is such a smiley, sweet, and laid back baby girl.

Grandpa got to hold her. Grandma

had been sick so didn't get the wonderful

experience of holding her granddaughter

in her arms. So sad!

In this picture she was laughing

outloud at her grandpa - wish you

could hear the adorable giggle!

VEGAS

Vegas has been such a treat for us to have for the past couple of weeks. She has settled in quite well and since I've been on the road for the last 2 1/2 weeks, she and AG have become great friends. She talks to him and rubs against his legs several times a day. She has even become comfortable enough to sleep under our bed every once in a while. Tonight she sat in the den with me for almost 45 minutes and allowed me to get a few pictures. This one she allowed me to take after she preened for about 15 minutes and then relaxed.

Olivia's First Visit to Lenoir

Grandma didn't get very much time to spend with me, but she did get a few cute pictures. She won't get to see me again for over a month and she says I'm going to change so much in that time. She told me that she loves me and misses me (and Mommy and Daddy, too)

Grandpa and I were having a great conversation just before I had to leave for Montgomery with Mommy and Daddy.

What a sweetheart!

Another visit to Charleston

Unfortunately I didn't get to help Stephanie and Andy with laundry, meals, etc., but 3 1/2 days instead of the week I had planned. Thursday evening I was going up to bed and accidentally fell down the bottom 3 steps of their stairs and ended up in the emergency room with 4 stitches in my head, 2 stressed herniated discs and a compression fracture of my T-12 vertebrae. I spent all day Friday and Saturday in Andy's recliner and headed home on Sunday. I did get to kiss Olivia good-bye on her way out the door for her first plane trip to Indiana on Sunday morning.

I have been in Charleston with Andy, Stephanie and Olivia since Monday trying to help out a little, and of course, getting to hold my sweet granddaughter. What fun. I just love this little smile she gave me as I was holding her.

Father's Day weekend

We spent father's day weekend in Charleston with Andy, Stephanie, Cay and Olivia Grace. On Sunday we went with them to church for the service which included the blessings of the babies born this year. Olivia was the youngest by about 5 days. She behaved like a trooper. She barely made a peep from the time we left the house until we returned. The picture says it all about Andy's first father's day with his daughter.

A few more pics of Olivia

My grandma Allen knitted this silly hat for me!!

Meet Olivia Grace Allen 6/14/09 9lbs. 8 oz.

Daddy, I can't see the computer from this angle. How am I ever going to learn to surf the net?

I'm just a few minutes old in these pictures. Can you tell?

My mommy and my daddy love to look at me 'cause I'm so cute!

Daddy likes me to hold his hand. Actually I have him wrapped around my little finger, already!

And of course, Grandma and Grandpa Allen love me already, too!

I thought that while all of us are awaiting the arrival of baby girl Allen, you might like to kill some time looking at some of my flowers that have made such a nice difference in my front flower garden. Each day I go out and look to see what has changed, bloomed and grown. Every day it is something different. Then each evening I go out on the front porch and rock in my rocker and enjoy the view.

WAITING PATIENTLY!

Tired of looking at the last post

It has been 2 weeks since I last posted and I really have nothing new to write, but I was sick of looking at that sweater that has been there for 2 weeks so decided to write "something."

Let's see? What have I been doing?

#1. Knitting a lot

#2. Waiting for a call that baby girl is well on her way

#3. Finally got to ride my bike - my back isn't hurting any more

#4. Waiting for a call that baby girl is well on her way

#5. Working in my flowers when it isn't raining, which isn't often

#6. Waiting for a call that baby girl is well on her way

#7 - and the craziest one of all. I dreamed the other night that Andy texted me and said, "Baby girl is on her way!" Geez, he better NOT do that!!!

Well, after 45 years of knitting, I finally knitted something for myself that is bigger and more complicated than a scarf or an afghan. The flash made it look a little brighter than it actually is. Actually the colors are more subdued, less pink and more maroon. It was fun and didn't take me a terribly long time. Only problem...now it's too hot to wear it until next winter. So into the closet it shall go. I've already started on my next project!

Grandmas weekend in Charleston

What a wonderful weekend Cay, Stephanie and I had in Charleston. We washed baby clothes, clipped tags off of baby clothes, dried baby clothes, folded baby clothes, put baby clothes away and generally enjoyed looking at each piece of baby clothes as we did all of this. We also ate Coldstone Creamery ice cream, pizza, brunch at a wonderful restuarant, dinner at Olive Garden, and great food at the baby shower. We visited BabiesRus for several hours, went to the outlet mall, to, what else, buy more baby clothes. Cay and Stephanie (mostly Cay) pulled weeds and edged in the front of the house. And we attended a wonderful baby shower for Stephanie with so many of her wonderful and generous friends. What a great weekend!

Update

BACK INJECTIONS ARE NOT FUN! But, the good thing is that the pain has gone from about an 8 to about a 1 or 2!!! And that 1 or 2 is more of an ache than a pain. I get the priviledge of having another injection on 4/29 and they seem to think that will take me to pain zero! I am functioning almost normally now, and boy does that make me happy after 2 months of this mess!

Oh my aching back

Just an update for those of you who have asked about my back. I went to the spine/back/pain guy in the orthopeadic group today. They had originally thought that I had 3 bulging discs which was what was causing my pain. Well, nope, they have decided I do have bulging discs and one herniated disc, but they don't seem to be pressing on any nerves. They are reasonably sure that I have sacro iliac joint dysfunction: http://www.medicinenet.com/sacroiliac_joint_pain/page4.htm
They are going to give me an injection tomorrow morning and with any luck at all (which I have had very little of healthwise in the past year) I should feel better by Friday. We can hope!!! He did give me some strong pain medicine to get me through until then - sure wish somebody had thought of that over the last 8 weeks!!!! Now if I can just stay awake through DWTS and Idol tonight - can't miss them!!! haha
I did get a chance while in Hickory to buy myself a new outfit to wear to Stepanie's baby shower on the 26th. That eased the pain a little bit. :-)

Ah Spring!

Today was a beautiful day here, so I decided to work outside. First I went to Town and Country Greenhouse (my favorite place in the spring) and bought a boston fern, a firetail, a wandering jew, 3 regal geraniums and a citronella mosquito plant. Then I was off to Lowes and added to my collection with lots more stuff. (daisies, woodland phlox, marigolds, caladiums, and a few more odds and ends.

Elizabeth came over and we made another trip to Lowes for more gorgeous plants and then back to the house to plant them. Unfortunately I have hurt my back and can do very little bending. Fortunately, Elizabeth is a wonderful friend and master gardener. She did most of the work. I did most of the supervising! :-)

I also hung my new Easter door wreath that you see above. And to top all that off I went to a new store in Lenoir the other day and bought the little green table you see below and the green cushions for the rockers. Now I can sit comfortably outside and admire all the wonderful things as they bloom!

In memory of Brady Thomas Meyer

This little white rose was placed on the altar of our church today in memory of Brady Thomas Meyer. The greenery (no flower arrangements during Lent) on the altar was also placed in honor of Brady, Drew, and Jordan, the Meyer triplets.

I never got to meet Brady, but he has touched my heart and has been in my prayers since the day he was born.